Chapter 168: The Festival of Swords (11)
“You all better cool me down a bit.”
A tide of monsters was rushing in. Ronan pulled at the hilt of his sword and waited for the monsters to approach within range as he gathered mana into his sword. The still immature core was building up energy, ready to explode.
‘As big as possible.’
In any battle, especially in a large-scale encounter, gaining control of the initiative was crucial. It made no difference whether the opponents were humans or monsters. As the vanguard of monsters approached within about twenty steps, Ronan rotated his body horizontally, unleashing a wide sword strike. Along the blade of Lamancha, a single crimson crescent shot out. The audience gasped as they witnessed the diameter of the sword energy reaching an impressive 2 meters.
“What’s the point of using such a small thing like that!”
“Disappointing. Was he only strong in one-on-one fights?”
In the face of the oncoming horde of monsters, Ronan’s sword energy seemed audacious and reckless. At most, it was expected to deal with two or three approaching head-on. Even the Giant Boar and Black Orcs at the front, instead of dodging, charged more aggressively. Ronan smirked at their approach.
“Dumbass.”
Suddenly, the crescent shape of the sword energy changed. The blade fragmented into hundreds of pieces, dispersing in a fan-shaped pattern. Each piece compressed mana to an extreme level, creating a lethal shrapnel. The sound of impacts echoed as the dispersed sword fragments pierced through the monsters’ bodies.
“Keuk!”
“Kwaik!”
A horde of Orcs and Boars writhed on the ground. Those unfortunate enough to be hit in the head or heart met their demise right on the spot. Although the surface area was small, it had strong penetrating power, causing fatal injuries at the point of contact.
The red droplets from the pierced creatures’ bodies, a mix of blood, muscle, and organs, spread widely, causing devastating damage to even the monsters on the sides. The onlookers expressed awe and admiration.
“Oh my god!”
“To use sword energy like that!”
It was the first time they had ever seen sword energy used in such a way. Ronan’s action proved effective, reducing the number of monsters by at least 30% in just one shot. The momentum of the approaching horde slowed down significantly. Ronan, satisfied with the outcome, wore a content smile. Aside from the significant mana consumption, it proved to be quite effective.
“Not bad at all.”
With this, it was proven that enemies within thirty paces could be dealt with using his sword energy. This was the result of Ronan’s efforts to catch up with geniuses like Navirose and Shullifen, despite being suppressed by a curse. Shooting the same sword energy once again, Ronan absentmindedly bit his lower lip.
‘But it still isn’t enough.’
However, what Ronan ultimately needed to face was a giant soaring in the sky. To pull down the bald-headed ones wielding spears and javelins above the clouds, he needed a much longer range. As Ronan concentrated once again, about to launch his third crescent moon, a Troll from the distant snowy wasteland soared through the air.
“Gwaaack!”
“What the hell?”
A massive creature, seemingly around 3 meters tall, appeared. Judging by its flailing limbs, it was still alive. Reacting instinctively, Ronan swung his sword. The sword energy that shot out like a projectile split the Troll’s waist in two. Blood exploded, showering over Ronan. As his vision cleared, a Twin-Headed Ogre roaring in the distance caught his eye.
“Kwaaak!”
“Gaaaaah!”
Anyone could tell that it was that bastard who had thrown it. The one who turned the Fox Knight into a Fox Carpet. It seemed to have sustained some injuries from the sword energy. Sensing the nearly depleted mana in the core, Ronan sighed.
“Just my luck.”
Now that things had turned out like this, he had to engage in melee. Of course, he had anticipated it, so there was no concern. Come to think of it, this was already his third time dealing with the Twin-Headed Ogre. Ronan curled his body. Bang! Strengthening his legs with the remaining mana, he leapt off the ground.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m
The action happened so quickly that the Ogre lost sight of Ronan. At that moment, when the two heads were searching for the missing opponent. A small shadow cast over the Ogre’s face.
Shullifen, who took the test after two more participants, also chose a hundred monsters, but there were no monsters left. He had to be content with chopping up 56 monsters with wind. Therefore, the priority selection voucher naturally went to Ronan.
When they returned to the base, only twenty successful participants were left. Among them were familiar faces such as Navirose, Lynn, and Russell. They headed to the restaurant as if they had made a promise. Those who had raised their glasses for a toast gathered around Ronan.
“You’re truly amazing! I knew you were strong, but I didn’t expect you to be this strong. It seems claiming to have defeated the Winter Witch wasn’t just bragging!”
“I couldn’t even tell who the monster was. What exactly is your identity?”
“There is a banquet at my family’s castle next week. I haven’t found a partner yet, so how about dancing with me? You won’t refuse, will you?”
They all expressed admiration and favor in their own ways. The nobles proposing recruitment offered even better conditions than before the third trial ended. Ronan responded with a subtle smile for most replies. It was a refusal in a way, but the main reason was simply that he was damn tired.
‘Damn it, it can’t go on like this.’
Although the excitement in his chest hadn’t faded, his body couldn’t bear the fatigue. He was about to say good night to the people when the door of the restaurant opened, and the owner, who had left a while ago, came in hesitantly. He looked at Ronan and spoke.
“Um, Sir Ronan...?”
“Hmm?”
Ronan turned his head. The owner’s face, which had always been red from roasting wild boars, was now pale like snow. Ronan raised an eyebrow.
“What’s wrong?”
“Outside... um... a guest has come to see you.”
“A guest?”
“Yes, yes. They said they had some business with you, so they insisted that you come out alone...”
The owner’s voice was trembling. He seemed like someone who had unexpectedly encountered a ghost while strolling through the forest.
“What the hell, who is it?”
“Well, um, you should go and see for yourself... I definitely conveyed the message!”
With a shout, the owner ran away and hid in the kitchen. Ronan frowned at the unexpected situation.
“What’s going on here...”
Since a guest had come to see him, he couldn’t ignore them. Leaving a brief message that he would be back, he left the restaurant. The people who were drunk gladly saw him off. Whoosh! A chilling wind blew as he opened the door. Other than the snowfield, the Milky Way, and the breathtaking scenery under the mountains, there was nothing else to see.
“What the, no one’s here.”
Ronan muttered in irritation. The owner, no matter how large his tavern was, wasn’t the type to play such mischievous pranks. Just as he was about to express his annoyance, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
“It’s been a while.”
For a moment, his heart sank. The voice was low and deep, like a mountain. Ronan turned around slowly. A giant shadow was perched on the roof of the restaurant. Its tail, flowing down from under the eaves, swayed like a fishing line. It wasn’t that difficult to deduce the identity of the shadow. Ronan, holding his breath, spoke.
“Zaifa.”
“Looking at your face, it seems you’ve been doing well. I’m a bit late due to some matters.”
Zaifa, who had been silently gazing at the sky, leaped down. Despite her massive size, there was no sound as she landed. Approaching with great strides she stopped right in front of Ronan.
“There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you.”
Ronan didn’t respond. It was impossible to read the emotions in that low and deep voice. The bright red eyes shining from above looked like ominous signs announcing disaster. Zaifa, looking down at Ronan in silence, finally opened her mouth.
“Follow me.”